Fairfield Bay, Arkansas

We took a short family trip last weekend to a lake resort in Fairfield Bay, Arkansas. It snowed on Thursday night, and a thin blanket covered everything in morning. Miles and miles of gravel roads, fire roads in the woods and a few short single track trails - all to myself. I wouldn't call this corner of the Ozarks mountainous, but there are some big hills with long, steep climbs.

First it was a slippery trail out to Indian Falls.

Then I ran down to Greers Ferry Lake. That's the majestic Sugar Loaf mountain veiled in the clouds. Sugar Loaf stands as an island in the middle of the lake, and with it volcanic shape, looks like it belongs in the South pacific. Apparently there is a ferry that can take you out to the trail-head that leads to the summit.

Piney woods are good for the soul.

And a piney beer for the recovery.

Cheers!

3h Snake report (3/16/13)

Photo by beyondordinarylifeok.com

The Snake 3 hour found me a bit under-prepared, typical for my first race of the year. I missed two key long runs in the build up, thanks to a cold and a new subscription to Netflix. The plan was to go slow and steady; a nice training run for the OKC Marathon next month.

Yeah, right. I don't possess that kind of discipline on race day. Adrenaline is a powerful drug, and it doesn't help that your constantly passing or being passed by someone, ever aware of where you stand in relation to those immediately in front of and behind you.  I finished each of the first out and backs (4.2 miles) in around 38 minutes.  And then the inevitable; about a mile into the fourth, the legs began to protest...loudly. On the return they simply gave out. After that it was waddle like a turtle. It took 46 minutes to finish the the fourth and final loop of the Snake trail. Then it was off to the half mile loop with 17 minutes left. The first loop was just pathetic; my right ham muscle cramped up, forcing me to sit down on the side of the trail for a few minutes. The second go around was better, but I finished with three minutes on the clock, not enough time to get another one in even on a good day. 17.8 total.

Could I have run smarter? Sure. But I'm not convinced that starting out slow would have saved that much energy for a strong finish. I suspect that my legs would've given out before the end simply due to the lack of cumulative time spent on my feet since Christmas. I seem to need an early race like this one to kick my ass in to gear and to start taking training seriously.

One thing I'm sure of: six hours of that trail sounds dreadful. My hat goes to those with the mental fortitude to stick it out that day.


Prairie Artisan Ale's 'Merica for the recovery. This farmhouse ale is springtime in a bottle. A single malt and single hop; deceptively simple ingredients for such a flavorful beer. Smells like fresh cut grass and earth. Tastes even better: earthy, grassy and citrusy hops, a bit of fruity tartness, with a spicy and dry finish.

A little night riding

Cheers!

In the shadow

The sun passes behind the ridge

and the vale is overwhelmed in shadow.

A path leads up to woods aflame,

promising warmth and golden vistas.

A path leads down 

into the cold and gathering gloom.

I take the lower path,

for the shadow promises nothing,

asks nothing,

and allows me to disappear 

for a while.

Looking ahead

Our first running season of the year has arrived, and its time to focus...

March 17th - Snake Run (3 hours)

For some reason, the Snake is probably the most talked about trail race in the Tulsa area. Many of the Taturs I run with say it is their favorite local trail race. Frankly, I'm not sure what all the hype is about. Four miles out and back on Turkey Mountain's flat Snake trail and repeat - see how many miles you can rack up in three or six hours. Not exactly inspiring; I run more for the adventure. But since this is the only local trail race I can fit in my schedule this Spring, I'll keep an open mind.

April 28th - Oklahoma City Marathon     

Again, nothing terribly exciting about this one. But I'm curious what time I could pull off on a flat marathon course.

Summer  - Something long, involving tall mountains and thin, dry air. Check back.


Green Flash Beer has come to town! Their West Coast IPA lives up to its name, delivering a hop smack-down with a nice dry finish. Hands down the best IPA available in our package stores to date.

A quick getaway

Snow at last! Three inches on the ground by late morning; the most since we moved to Tulsa. With predictions that it will soon turn to rain, and an afternoon of desk work ahead, I need to get up there now. Thirty minutes. Better make it count...

The twelve days of Christmas: 10, 11...

1/3/13, day 10
9 miles

6 in the morning and 3 at night on the River trails. I abandoned my rule of no ipod on runs; what a difference the extra mental stimulation can make toward getting the job done.

1/4/13, day 11
12 miles

The big loop around the Arkansas. I've heard it said that your not really on a true adventure unless at some point its not fun anymore. Well I'm on an adventure. Sergio Leone's "The Good the Bad and the Ugly" soundrack on repeat got me through this.

1/5/13, day twelve
0 miles

"This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper" T.S. Elliot. Nature cares nothing of our plans. I have a cold. I can't run. 9 miles short. End of story.

But maybe next Christmas...